she's back and more pain-filled than ever!

So I've been back in boiling-hot Perth for just over 24 hours. What can I say about New Zealand? Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.

Here are some random thoughts about the trip that I would like to share with you in no particular order:

*New Zealand taxis are expensive. $28 to get from Wellington Airport to accomodation in the city centre is way too expensive. Take an airport shuttle.

*New Zealand television is very, very addictive. Their current affairs-y show after the news, Campbell Live is amazing - not so sensationalist, a bit more light-hearted, yet still informative and intelligent. Shock Treatment which puts celebrities in detox health farm kind of places with bonus aenemas for some lucky celebs. And of course, who can forget our absolute favourite NZ TV show, Motorway Patrol? No further explanation needed for that one. Their drink driving ads are hilarious as well with slogans like, 'If your mate's pissed, you're screwed.' Very funny if you say it with a New Zealand accent.

*Auckland and Wellington are very hilly. Add in the fact that we had to rely on a map and public transport, we were finding more than thirty.

*Auckland has a killer 36 hole pirate-themed mini golf course. Yarr!

*Don't get PMT on Valentine's Day.

*Hangis are delicious and make you want to dig a hole in your backyard and cook lamb or something there.

*On the subject of lamb, yes, there are a lot of sheep in New Zealand.

*Don't ever take your boyfriend who is afraid of heights up the Auckland SkyTower without expecting to buy him a beer for his troubles.

*Watching the Western Force play the Hurricanes in a pub in Auckland is very likely to result in you being embarrassed to be a West Aussie.

*Going to a bar made completely out of ice (even the glasses you drink your cocktails out of) is a very cool experience, both literally and figuratively. And they've just opened one in Sydney!

*Booking an entire holiday on the Internet really does work! Cheers to VirginBlue for flights, Newmans for the coaches and Wotif.com for classy accomodation at cheap prices. Here's the places we stayed: Elliott St Apartments - Auckland, Terrace Heights Apartments - Wellington, Capri Court Motor Inn - Rotorua.